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Coffee
Coffee is a caffeinated beverage brewed from roasted coffee beans extracted from the cherry of a coffee tree. Upon brewing, coffee is a dark, often black beverage. Typically served hot, it has become one of the most popular drinks in the world. Over several centuries, coffee has become not just a widely consumed beverage, but a culturally significant one, often noted by religons, social movements, and literature. It is generally believed that coffee was first discovered in East Africa before spreading to the Arabian peninsula. In recent centuries, coffee has become one of the most popular drinks in the world and one of the most valuable traded commodities, especially for developing countries [http://www.ico.org/coffee_story.asp The Story of Coffee - International Coffee Organization]. In 2006, coffee producing countries produced over seventeen billion pounds of coffee, of which nearly thirteen billion pounds were exported to other countries[http://www.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/circulars/tropical.pdf Tropical Products: World Market and Trade - United States Department of Agriculture]. Legend In a commonly repeated, and almost certainly apocryphal legend, the first human to discover coffee was an Ethiopian goatherder named Kaldi. The exact telling varies based on the teller, but the general story is that one day Kaldi was unable to bid his goats to return from grazing. After searching for them, he found them dancing madly around shrubs with red berries. The goats did not want to leave from grazing on these bushes. Eventually, Kaldi tried the berries themselves and felt energized and inspired. Word spread quickly throughout the region, and coffee took hold in Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) . History The exact origins of coffee are unknown, but it is believed that its consumption by humans dates as far back as the sixth century Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia), with beans from the species Coffea arabica were initially consumed as a food rather than a beverage. Eventually coffee trees would come to be cultivated in the nearby Arabian peninsula, from which it first was used for religious purposes, then as a medicine, before finding widespread recreational use throughout the region. In a short period of time, coffeehouses would form, and coffee would find its place as an intellectual, stimulating, and often subversive agent. Despite efforts to hold a monopoly on trade, inevitably, coffee beans were smuggled out of the Middle East to India and beyond. With its widespread cultivation coinciding with the age of European exploration, taking root as a major crop in tropical and sub-tropical regions and growing in popularity and influence around the world. In a short period of time, coffee would come to represent more than a beverage, but also a sign of patriotism, progress, slavery, and revolution. Growing Coffee is native to sub-Saharan Africa and typically flourishes in tropical or subtropical areas with rich, well-drained soil and heavy rainfall. Additionally, higher quality coffees are grown at higher altitudes, yet coffee trees do not tolerate frost well. These factors restrict most coffee growing to mountainous regions between the latitudes of 28° North and 38° South (hardier species are not limited to higher altitudes) . Brewing Brewing is the typical method of preparing roasted coffee beans for drinking. While there are several methods for brewing coffee, nearly all involve infusing ground coffee beans with water over a period of time. Coffee brewers can range in complexity from a vessel in which coffee grounds and hot water are combined for several minutes to an espresso machine which "presses" hot water through a puck of coffee at a high pressure to produce a highly concentrated coffee. Caffeine Coffee is noted for its caffeine content, and has been historically consumed at least partially for the purpose of maintaining alertness. The average cup of American-style (drip brewed) coffee contains between 100 to 150 milligrams of caffeine . However, this amount depends on several factors, most notably the species of coffee tree from which the coffee was harvested. Coffee from robusta beans can contain at least a third more caffeine than coffee brewed from arabica beans. Other species of coffee are reputed to have little to no caffeine content, however none of these are widely cultivated. The degree of roast also is a significant factor in the caffeine content of a coffee bean, with darker roasts generally containing less caffeine . For nearly two hundred years, various methods of decaffeination have been attempted. While these methods result in a substantial loss of flavor in the coffee, they do succeed in removing a large percentage of the original caffeine content. See also: Decaffeination Other uses While coffee trees are generally associated with the production of coffee beans, they also have other uses. In agriculture, young coffee trees can provide nitrogen fixing advantages for legumes such as beans or peanuts. Additionally, these trees can increase the firewood production of the surrounding shade trees. Additionally, the pulp left over from processing coffee beans can be used as mulch or in cow feedJames A. Duke (1983). Handbook of Energy Crops - Coffea arabica L.. The wood from a coffee tree has a crushing strength of 5,800 pounds per square inch, giving it the structural integrity for several uses . Its high density and durability, along with its appearance after finishing make it useful in furniture and cabinet makingJames A. Duke (1983). Handbook of Energy Crops - Coffea arabica L.. Coffee has also been used for a wide variety of other purposes. It is considered a natural herbicide, repelling pigweed (Amaranthus spinosus). Mixed with iodine, it can be used as a deodorant. Additionally, many medicinal uses have been ascribed to coffee, including as an analgesic, anaphrodisiac, counter-irritant, and folk treatment for asthma, malaria, opium poisoning, and vertigoJames A. Duke (1983). Handbook of Energy Crops - Coffea arabica L.. See also *List of coffee drinks References Category:Beverages